Monsoon has covered 80% of India: IMD

New Delhi: This year's monsoon has reached 80 per cent of India so far, India Meteorological Department's senior scientist Dr Naresh Kumar said on the advancement of southwest monsoon in the country. Monsoon reached different parts of the country rapidly due to a low-pressure area occurring in the Bay of Bengal on Sunday, he said.

Monsoon arrived in Delhi and Mumbai on the same day on Sunday. This has happened after 62 years, Dr Kumar said. The usual date for monsoon to reach Mumbai is June 11 and June 27 in Delhi but reached the two metro cities on the same day. However, this can't directly be linked to climate change as it takes data from 30 to 40 years to determine that, Dr Naresh Kumar said.

Monsoon has reached different parts of the country in a new pattern this year, he said adding: "Generally, monsoon is activated by a low-pressure zone. High speed winds caused by the low-pressure zone led to monsoon rapidly reached various parts of the country which saw rainfall." He explained that western winds from the Arabian Sea that push monsoon further up coincided with the formation of the low-pressure zone in the Bay of Bengal when it was over Maharashtra.

This resulted in rainfall in Maharashtra, including in Mumbai, and at the same time the low-pressure zone pushed winds towards north-western India, including to Delhi, covering both regions at the same time, Dr Kumar said. Clouds over Assam have dissipated, and significant rainfall is not expected there, he said. About 12 cm rainfall is expected in Rudraprayag and various other areas of Uttarakhand, he added. Several cities in the country are witnessing heavy rainfall and a flood-like situation after the southwest monsoon brought showers over the past couple of days.

The weather office has predicted heavy rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds in Punjab and Haryana in the next 24 hours.

Light to moderate showers are likely to continue for the next two days.